I got an up-close look at the engineering INSIDE the new Tesla Roadster at yesterday’s unveil, and it’s pretty crazy. After watching this thing drive upside down, launch into the air, and do flips, I got to see the actual hardware that makes it all possible. 1/ The Electric drive unit is the heart of the Roadster’s electric powertrain, delivering power directly to the wheels. 2/ The battery pack has rows of cylindrical battery cells, with cooling systems and electrical connections running throughout. This is what powers the car before the rocket tech comes into play. 3/ The rocket thrusters has multiple cold-gas nozzles. Tesla says the four main rear thrusters blast compressed air faster than the speed of sound, producing more than 80,000 newtons of thrust. 4/ The SpaceX-inspired pressure tanks has two massive carbon-fiber-wrapped pressure vessels with a combined capacity of 600 liters, holding approximately 250 kg of compressed air. And the wild thing is the Roadster can recharge its own air supply, no special rocket fuel is required. 5/ An active rear wing has a variable-pitch wing that automatically adjusts downforce depending on what the car needs. It allows it to get more grip when cornering, less drag when going fast. 6/ The underbody engineering is the hardware underneath that brings everything together, including the systems that help the Roadster stick to the ground and launch into the air. And then there’s the fan suction system, which Tesla says can generate up to 2 g’s of suction force, enough to hold the car upside down. Tesla and SpaceX have built an electric sports car with a battery, electric motors, rocket thrusters, high-pressure air tanks, active aerodynamics, and a suction system powerful enough to let it drive upside down. And yesterday, I watched it actually happen with my own eyes… I’ve seen some incredible engineering from Tesla over the years, but getting this close to the hardware and then seeing what it can do was on a whole another level. This is what happens when you bring together some of the best automotive and rocket engineers in the world and let them push the limits of what’s possible. Great job Tesla! 👏